Michele Capella McDonnall

Risk factors for depression among older adults with dual sensory loss

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors that are associated with depression among older adults with dual sensory loss, evaluating variables typically associated with depression in an elderly population and variables related to sensory loss. Method: Survey data was collected from a sample of 203 adults aged 55 years and older with significant hearing and vision loss. Independent variables included demographics (as control variables), sensory loss-related factors, activity factors, and social factors. Correlation and hierarchical linear regression were used to analyze the data. Results: A large proportion of participants experienced depression. Risk factors typically associated with depression in the elderly were also significant for this group, with the exception of functional disability, but only one variable directly related to sensory loss was significant in the final model. The block of variables with the greatest relationship to depression was the social factor. Discussion: Receipt of rehabilitation services and use of assistive devices are two strategies that could be used to address the issue of depression with this population. Interventions could target some of the variables found to be associated with depression in this study: communication problems, loss of activity, and physical activity.

The effects of developing a dual sensory loss on depression in older adults: a longitudinal study.

Objectives: To determine the effect of developing a dual sensory loss (DSL) on depression over time and evaluate the impact of preexisting single sensory loss on this effect. Method: Multilevel modeling was used to analyze data (N = 2,689) from the Health and Retirement Study. Results: A significant increase in depression at the first report of DSL occurred, and depression increased at a significantly faster rate following DSL, in a curvilinear pattern. In addition, persons who eventually developed DSL began the study with a depression score significantly higher than persons who did not experience sensory loss. A preexisting single sensory loss did not alter the effect of DSL on depression. Discussion: Two sources of disparity in depression between persons with and without DSL were identified: preexisting differences and differences that occurred due to the DSL. The relationship exhibited between depression and developing a DSL indicated an adjustment process.OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of developing a dual sensory loss (DSL) on depression over time and evaluate the impact of preexisting single sensory loss on this effect. METHOD Multilevel modeling was used to analyze data (N = 2,689) from the Health and Retirement Study. RESULTS A significant increase in depression at the first report of DSL occurred, and depression increased at a significantly faster rate following DSL, in a curvilinear pattern. In addition, persons who eventually developed DSL began the study with a depression score significantly higher than persons who did not experience sensory loss. A preexisting single sensory loss did not alter the effect of DSL on depression. DISCUSSION Two sources of disparity in depression between persons with and without DSL were identified: preexisting differences and differences that occurred due to the DSL. The relationship exhibited between depression and developing a DSL indicated an adjustment process.

The Effect of Productive Activities on Depressive Symptoms Among Older Adults With Dual Sensory Loss

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of three productive activities (paid employment, volunteer work, and informal helping) to mitigate the negative effects of dual sensory loss (DSL) on depressive symptoms among older adults. Multilevel modeling was used to analyze longitudinal data from the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study. The sample consisted of 2,688 persons: 1,380 who developed DSL during the study and 1,308 who did not. Although participation in each of the productive activities was associated with fewer depressive symptoms for older adults with DSL, volunteering was also the only variable that moderated the relationship between DSL and depressive symptoms. Persons with a DSL who volunteered exhibited a larger decrease in depressive symptoms compared to persons without sensory loss who volunteered. A volunteer intervention for older adults with DSL may be a viable option to help reduce depression in this population.

Factors Predicting Post-High School Employment for Young Adults With Visual Impairments

Although low levels of employment among transition-age youth with visual impairments (VI) have long been a concern, empirical research in this area is very limited. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that predict future employment for this population and to compare these factors to the factors that predict employment for the general population. Participants in the study were young adults between the ages of 18 and 23 in 2002 whose data were obtained from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997. Multilevel modeling for longitudinal data was the technique used to analyze 5 years of employment data for the participants. Two models were developed and tested: one for persons with VI and one for the general population. Independent variables found to significantly predict employment for young adults with VI were number of jobs held as a teenager, math and verbal aptitude, parental support, and self-reported health. Participation in school-to-work programs and educational level did not significantly predict employment for this population. Results are compared and contrasted with results for the general population. The importance of having a number of early work experiences while also focusing on academic skills for youth with VI is discussed.

Physical status as a moderator of depressive symptoms among older adults with dual sensory loss.

OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the ability of three measures of physical status-physical activity, physical condition, and body mass index (BMI)-to moderate the relationship between dual sensory loss (DSL) and depressive symptoms in older adults. METHOD Nationally representative longitudinal data were used to develop multilevel models predicting depressive symptoms among two groups of older adults, 1380 who developed DSL during the study and 1308 without sensory loss. RESULTS All three measures were associated with depressive symptoms for persons who had or would develop a DSL: participation in physical activity and being in better physical condition were associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms, while lower BMI levels were associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms. All moderator variables had a larger effect for persons with DSL as compared to persons without sensory loss. IMPLICATIONS The implication of these findings is that participation in a regular program of physical activity may provide multiple benefits to older persons with DSL. Families and health care providers can offer support for being physically active by ensuring the person has the best possible correction for the sensory losses, providing encouragement, and/or providing physical assistance with exercise.

Predictors of employer attitudes toward people who are blind or visually impaired as employees

BACKGROUND: Negative employer attitudes are often identified as the biggest challenge to employment faced by people who are blind or visually impaired, yet limited research has been conducted in this area. Little is known about the factors that predict employer attitudes toward this population. OBJECTIVE: The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between employer attitudes toward blind and visually impaired people as employees and knowledge about how they can perform specific job tasks (i.e., utilizing job accommodations/assistive technology) in a multivariate model. METHODS: Employers in four states completed a telephone survey that included instruments to measure attitudes and knowledge. The sample came from two sources: a randomly identified list of employers in the four states and employer contacts of vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies in two of the states. Data for the multiple regression analyses was available from 181 employers. RESULTS: Three variables significantly predicted employer attitudes: having hired someone who was blind or visually impaired, having communicated with the state VR agency, and knowledge. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the importance of VR agency personnel having meaningful interactions with employers. Two potential focus areas of these interactions are increasing knowledge about job accommodations that can enable blind or visually impaired people to perform necessary job tasks and on-the-job training experiences.

Employer Attitudes Toward Blind or Visually Impaired Employees: Initial Development of a Measurement Instrument

The purpose of this research project was to create an instrument to measure attitudes of employers towards persons who are blind or visually impaired as employees. Items were developed based on prior research with employers that identified their concerns about hiring people with disabilities. A 15-item attitude scale (which was revised based on an expert panel review and results of a pilot test) was administered to a sample of 194 employers in hiring positions located in four states. Psychometric analyses included evaluation of coefficient alpha estimates, item-total correlations, and a common factor analysis procedure (n = 158 for these analyses). Items were hypothesized to load on two factors: productivity of blind/visually impaired people as employees and challenges to employing blind/visually impaired people, which was supported by the data. As a result of the psychometric analyses, four items were removed from the attitude measure, resulting in an 11-item instrument consisting of a five-item productivity subscale and a six-item challenges subscale. Evidence for criterion validity was provided by significant differences in scores of employers based on whether they had ever hired someone with a visual impairment. Overall, results provide good initial evidence for the instrument’s reliability and validity.

The Relationship Between Vocational Rehabilitation Professional’s Interactions With Businesses and Employment Outcomes for Consumers Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

The purpose of this study was to determine if there is an association between how vocational rehabilitation (VR) counselors and business relations (BR) staff interact with employers and employment outcomes for consumers who are blind or visually impaired. To determine how VR professionals interact with employers, a survey was conducted that included measures of their use of the Business Relations Model (BRM) and of three blindness-specific techniques with businesses believed to be effective based on prior research. These measures were averaged across agencies and combined with Rehabilitation Services Administration’s case service report (RSA-911) data to determine their association with consumer employment outcomes, utilizing multilevel modeling. How staff reported interacting with employers was associated with the agency’s employment outcomes for consumers. The more counselors reported they used practices consistent with the BRM approach, the more likely their agency’s consumers were to achieve employment. The more BR staff used the blindness-specific techniques, the more likely their agency’s consumers were to achieve employment. Training in the areas of interacting with businesses (for counselors) and blindness and assistive technology (for BR staff) would be beneficial for many people in these positions.

Working With Business: Counselor Expectations, Actions, and Challenges

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to (a) explore state-federal vocational rehabilitation (VR) agency expectations for counselor engagement with business, (b) determine what VR counselors are actually doing in terms of interacting with businesses, and

Additional Evidence for the Validity of the Employer Attitudes Toward Blind Employees Scale

Negative employer attitudes have traditionally been considered one of the major barriers to employment faced by people who are blind or visually impaired. Recent research suggests this continues to be a problem, yet little research has directly measured employer attitudes toward this population. Data were collected from a large sample of hiring managers (N = 382) to provide evidence for the validity of a recently developed instrument, the Employer Attitudes Toward Blind Employees Scale. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the instrument, providing evidence for its reliability and validity. Social desirability bias was not found to be a significant problem with the instrument. Self-reported likelihood to hire a person who is blind or visually impaired in the future had a strong association with attitude scores, providing evidence for the scale’s predictive validity.